To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

The St. Joseph Union-Observer (St. Joseph, MO), 1957-05-10, Main Edition

The St. Joseph Union-Observer (St. Joseph, MO), 1957-05-10, Main Edition

Library Historical Soc Columbia Missouri TUB ST. JOSEPH Published In tht Interest of Organized Labor. Largest paid weekly circulation In St. Joseph. 8t Joseph Union, Established In 1893 St. Joseph Observer, Established In 1904 Friday, May 10. 1957 Vol. 57 No. 19 MB m m m Meany Says New Anti-Labor Laws "Unwise;" Will Fight Efforts to Hamper Unions PHILADELPHIA New and punitive legislation against the labor movement is unwise and unnecessary, AFL-CIO Pres. George Meany told the 20th consolidated convention of the Boiler Makers, Iron Ship Builders and Blacksmiths."Those who would exploit trade unionism would not be hampered by more laws becausue they don't respect the present laws, but the clean, decent majority of the movement could be hurt," he said. Policing Up to Unions Meany told a press conference later that the job of "cleaning house" was up to the membership of the international unions. "There are more than 68,000 local unions in the AFL-CIO and if we were to take on the job of policing the morals and ethics of these locals we would have to have a bigger staff than the FBI or the Justice Dept." He denied that the Ethical Practices Committee had "prejudged" the case against the Teamsters Union, explaining that the Executive Council action was taken "after we listened to the officers of the Teamsters that they took money from the treasury and repeatedly took the Fifth Amendment."He conceded that the AFL-CIO had little disciplinary power over unions under "corrupt control" but suggested that the membership of such unions might "change that leadership" if it was demonstrated that the leadership was corrupt. He lauded the record of the 77-year-old union whose members are building for the future with the errection of nuclear power plants in this coutry and Canada. Meany called it a "tried and true American trade union" and praised the leadership of Pres. William A. Calvin and Pres.-Bmertius Charles McGowan. "The problem of racketeering strikes at the heart of trade unionism itself," Meany declared Blair Names Warren Welsh Member of Police Board Warren Welsh, president of the Central Labor Council, was named to the St. Joseph board of police commissioners Tuesday by Gov. James T. Blair. In announcing his appointments Mr. Blair designated Doyle Barrow, realtor, as his choice for president of the board. Others appointed were Dan Hale, attorney, and Harold Thomson, president of the Mechanics Bank. Mr. Thomson is a member of the present board. All are Democrats. The new board wjll not take office until the members have been confirmed bv the senate. Senator with more than his usual vehemence. ' He insisted that only "free unions" are "good unions" and pointed out the need for freedom from domination by employers, political parties, government or racketeers. Store Sales Volume Shows Little Change The volume of business in St. Joseph department stores continues to show strength. A gain of 1 per cent for the week ended May 4 as compared to the same week a year ago is shown by the weekly survey of the Federal Reserve System. The following table shows the percentages of gain or loss as reported by the Federal Reserve: Wk. Endinf Yr. to May 4 May 4 Drnvrr ... - 14 1 Top ka... ......... 1 t Wichita. , 1 1 Joplln... . li Kansaa City.. 1 S St. Joph 1 a Albuquerque ...... 3 7 Oklahoma City 0 4 Tula.. 3 4 Othf r CIU In District 12 5 Tnth District 7 0 U. S. Total 7 LADIES DAY OKLAHOMA CITY Organized labor unveiled a new and effective "weapon" on the legislative front here trade union wives. Over 160 of them attended a "ladies day" session at the state legislature and in 24 hours helped kill for the time being a city sales and wage tax bill and aided passage of four labor-backed measures. The lobby was organized by the Oklahoma Industrial Union Council and the Oklahoma State Federation of Labor. Convening shortly after the visits from the trade union wives, the Senate passed and sent to the governor bills to increase workmen's compensation benefits and three other Improvements in the law. William Orr Sawyers explained that the senate municipal corporations committee which handles such matters has been bogged down with work and that confirmation may be delayed for more than a week. Meanwhile, the present board comprising Milton Litvak, Harold Thomson, John Boucher and Carl Castel will continue in office. Mr. Welsh is in his 28th year as president of the Central Labor Council and his 25th year as labor coordinator. He is a director of the St. Joseph Development Co., member of the Masonic Lodge, ' Moiln Temple of the Shrine and J Francis Street Methodist Church. "Uneasy Lull" Seen for Next 6 Months WASHINGTON An uneasy lull has settled over the American economy and may continue for the next six months unless there is a sharp upturn in consumer spending and home building. If the present lull continues, says Economic Trends, published by the AFL-CIO Committee on Economic Policy, unemployment Directors Elected by Labor Temple Association Directors were elected Monday night by the St. Joseph Labor Temple Association Inc. in accordance with the recently-adopted by-laws of the organization.Those elected were Charles Cal-lison and Steven O'Konski, 4-year terms; Hanson Hale and Harold Bell, three years; Ralph Gibbs and Lewis Johnson, two ' years; and Kenneth Jennings and Frank Vavra, one year. Warren Welsh will serve as director by virtue of his office as president of the Central Labor Council. , Officers will be elected by the directors at a meeting , Monday night at 7, an hour preceding the regular meeting of the Central Labor Council. A president, vice president, secretary and treasurer will be chosen and possibly an assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. The officers will serve for the remainder of the calendar year. The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held in Januarv. Ike Hails Union Industries Show President Dwight D. Eisenhower greeted the forthcoming AFL-CIO Union-Industries Show, scheduled for the Kansas City (Missouri) Municipal Auditorium May 16 through May 21, with his praise for both management and labor alike. The President, in his letter received by Joseph Lewis, the Show's Director and Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO Union Label and Service Trades Department, said: "The skill and productivity of American workers is a basic national asset. With enlightened management, our workers enable us to meet the great demands of ou rtime, supplying an ddefending ou rhomeland and taking an effective part in the life of the free world. "Your show," Eisenhower concluded, "is a dramatic reminder of the good work and good fortune of our people. I wish you all success." The huge labor-management exhibition will be open to the public, admission free, and is the first such event to occupy all available space in the massive Kansas City Auditorium. Hundreds of action-packed displays will reflect the cooperative efforts of craftsmen and their employers and thousands of dollars worth of free gifts and souvenirs will be awarded those attending the Show. "will probably rise slowly." Widespread small layoffs and reduced production schedules have resulted in a slight increase in joblessness in the first three months of 1957. The usual spring upturn in economic activity has failed to materialize, the report says and "there is no exception of significant expansion in the coming "Hot Cargo" Clause Upheld by U.S. Court of Appeals WASHINGTON The right of union truck drivers to refuse to handle non-union or struck freight was upheld tjy the U. S. court of appeals in an opinion handed down Thursday. The "hot cargo" clause in teamster contracts with employers does not violate the secondary boycott ban of the Taft-Hartley acj, the court ruled in setting aside in selling aside a' finding of the national Labor Relations Board in a case Involving an Oklahoma City local of the Teamsters. Complied With Contract Speaking for the court, Judge Walter M. Bastian pointed out that under the terms of union contracts employees were not required to handle goods from struck firms and that refusal to do so does not constitute a strike or refusal to work. "Nor. can it be said," the judge continued, "that there was a forcing or requiring of an employer to cease doing business with another person because the employer was only compelled to live up to its own voluntary agreement entered into in advance of the happening. "It would seem that the Teamsters employed the only effective means in their power to enforce the agreement." The case involving the Teamsters grew out of a strike by a local of the International Association of Machinists, like the Teamsters an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. The machinists called a strike at the American Iron & Machine Works company in September, 1954. The strike laster a little over a month, beginning with a new collective bargaining agreement. Picketed by Machinists In the course of the strike the machinists picketed three plants of the company. They also picketed trucks of American Iron when they appeared at the loading platforms of certain trucking firms. The teamsters' local instructed the, trucking firms' platform workers not to handle American Iron goods since they were struck goods. A majority of the NLRB directed both the machinists and teamsters to cease inducing or encouraging employees of the carriers, to engage in a strike or con certed refusal to handle freight consigned to or received from American Iron. Again dividing 2-1, the court upheld the board's finding against the machinists. Bastian said that since the machinists were not parties to the contract carrying the "hot cargo" clause, they were barred from the three to six months." The current lull has resulted, the publication says, from a decline in home building, a halt in accumulation of business stocks of goods on hand, a tapering off of business expenditures for new plant and equipment and continuing poor markets for the sale of autos, television sets and other hard goods and textiles. actions which the NLRB prohibited.The machinists contended that, since teamsters were free to honor their picket line, the machinists' actions would not constitute encouragement or inducement of teamsters to engage in a concerted refusal to handle goods of another employer. No Sympathy Strike In the ease before the court, Bastian said, "It cannot be argued that the actions of teamsters constituted a sympathy strike or an illegal boycott." 'The actions taken might have been so regarded had there been no hot cargo clause," Bastian added. "In sympathy strikes or illegal boycotts ,the employers are innocent victims of disputes with which they are not concerned. But where such a clause exists a different situation arises. The secondary employer has consented, known in advance, to the refusal of its employes to handle goods of the original employer." Cooper Resigns Local 873 Post William H. Cooper has resigned as president of Bakery Drivers. Milk Drivers. Dairy and Ice Cream Employees, Local 873. In a letter this week to Secretary - Treasurer James M. Cousins, Mr. Cooper explained that he had been promoted to a position with the Continental Baking. Co., which excludes him from membership in the union. His term does not expire until Dec. 31. The vacancy will be filled in a special election Tuesday night at the regular monthly meeting of the local. Mr. Cousins said he had a number of tickets available for members wishing to attend the Union Industries Show next week in Kansas City. Although the show it free tickets are required for admission. OFFICE EMPLOYES WIN Local 9 of tho Office Employes International Union, Milwaukee, has won bargaining rights at the Blue Cross-Blue Shield service in a Wisconsin Employment Relations Board election. The vote was 120 to 87.

Library Historical Soc Columbia Missouri TUB ST. JOSEPH Published In tht Interest of Organized Labor. Largest paid weekly circulation In St. Joseph. 8t Joseph Union, Established In 1893 St. Joseph Observer, Established In 1904 Friday, May 10. 1957 Vol. 57 No. 19 MB m m m Meany Says New Anti-Labor Laws "Unwise;" Will Fight Efforts to Hamper Unions PHILADELPHIA New and punitive legislation against the labor movement is unwise and unnecessary, AFL-CIO Pres. George Meany told the 20th consolidated convention of the Boiler Makers, Iron Ship Builders and Blacksmiths."Those who would exploit trade unionism would not be hampered by more laws becausue they don't respect the present laws, but the clean, decent majority of the movement could be hurt," he said. Policing Up to Unions Meany told a press conference later that the job of "cleaning house" was up to the membership of the international unions. "There are more than 68,000 local unions in the AFL-CIO and if we were to take on the job of policing the morals and ethics of these locals we would have to have a bigger staff than the FBI or the Justice Dept." He denied that the Ethical Practices Committee had "prejudged" the case against the Teamsters Union, explaining that the Executive Council action was taken "after we listened to the officers of the Teamsters that they took money from the treasury and repeatedly took the Fifth Amendment."He conceded that the AFL-CIO had little disciplinary power over unions under "corrupt control" but suggested that the membership of such unions might "change that leadership" if it was demonstrated that the leadership was corrupt. He lauded the record of the 77-year-old union whose members are building for the future with the errection of nuclear power plants in this coutry and Canada. Meany called it a "tried and true American trade union" and praised the leadership of Pres. William A. Calvin and Pres.-Bmertius Charles McGowan. "The problem of racketeering strikes at the heart of trade unionism itself," Meany declared Blair Names Warren Welsh Member of Police Board Warren Welsh, president of the Central Labor Council, was named to the St. Joseph board of police commissioners Tuesday by Gov. James T. Blair. In announcing his appointments Mr. Blair designated Doyle Barrow, realtor, as his choice for president of the board. Others appointed were Dan Hale, attorney, and Harold Thomson, president of the Mechanics Bank. Mr. Thomson is a member of the present board. All are Democrats. The new board wjll not take office until the members have been confirmed bv the senate. Senator with more than his usual vehemence. ' He insisted that only "free unions" are "good unions" and pointed out the need for freedom from domination by employers, political parties, government or racketeers. Store Sales Volume Shows Little Change The volume of business in St. Joseph department stores continues to show strength. A gain of 1 per cent for the week ended May 4 as compared to the same week a year ago is shown by the weekly survey of the Federal Reserve System. The following table shows the percentages of gain or loss as reported by the Federal Reserve: Wk. Endinf Yr. to May 4 May 4 Drnvrr ... - 14 1 Top ka... ......... 1 t Wichita. , 1 1 Joplln... . li Kansaa City.. 1 S St. Joph 1 a Albuquerque ...... 3 7 Oklahoma City 0 4 Tula.. 3 4 Othf r CIU In District 12 5 Tnth District 7 0 U. S. Total 7 LADIES DAY OKLAHOMA CITY Organized labor unveiled a new and effective "weapon" on the legislative front here trade union wives. Over 160 of them attended a "ladies day" session at the state legislature and in 24 hours helped kill for the time being a city sales and wage tax bill and aided passage of four labor-backed measures. The lobby was organized by the Oklahoma Industrial Union Council and the Oklahoma State Federation of Labor. Convening shortly after the visits from the trade union wives, the Senate passed and sent to the governor bills to increase workmen's compensation benefits and three other Improvements in the law. William Orr Sawyers explained that the senate municipal corporations committee which handles such matters has been bogged down with work and that confirmation may be delayed for more than a week. Meanwhile, the present board comprising Milton Litvak, Harold Thomson, John Boucher and Carl Castel will continue in office. Mr. Welsh is in his 28th year as president of the Central Labor Council and his 25th year as labor coordinator. He is a director of the St. Joseph Development Co., member of the Masonic Lodge, ' Moiln Temple of the Shrine and J Francis Street Methodist Church. "Uneasy Lull" Seen for Next 6 Months WASHINGTON An uneasy lull has settled over the American economy and may continue for the next six months unless there is a sharp upturn in consumer spending and home building. If the present lull continues, says Economic Trends, published by the AFL-CIO Committee on Economic Policy, unemployment Directors Elected by Labor Temple Association Directors were elected Monday night by the St. Joseph Labor Temple Association Inc. in accordance with the recently-adopted by-laws of the organization.Those elected were Charles Cal-lison and Steven O'Konski, 4-year terms; Hanson Hale and Harold Bell, three years; Ralph Gibbs and Lewis Johnson, two ' years; and Kenneth Jennings and Frank Vavra, one year. Warren Welsh will serve as director by virtue of his office as president of the Central Labor Council. , Officers will be elected by the directors at a meeting , Monday night at 7, an hour preceding the regular meeting of the Central Labor Council. A president, vice president, secretary and treasurer will be chosen and possibly an assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. The officers will serve for the remainder of the calendar year. The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held in Januarv. Ike Hails Union Industries Show President Dwight D. Eisenhower greeted the forthcoming AFL-CIO Union-Industries Show, scheduled for the Kansas City (Missouri) Municipal Auditorium May 16 through May 21, with his praise for both management and labor alike. The President, in his letter received by Joseph Lewis, the Show's Director and Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO Union Label and Service Trades Department, said: "The skill and productivity of American workers is a basic national asset. With enlightened management, our workers enable us to meet the great demands of ou rtime, supplying an ddefending ou rhomeland and taking an effective part in the life of the free world. "Your show," Eisenhower concluded, "is a dramatic reminder of the good work and good fortune of our people. I wish you all success." The huge labor-management exhibition will be open to the public, admission free, and is the first such event to occupy all available space in the massive Kansas City Auditorium. Hundreds of action-packed displays will reflect the cooperative efforts of craftsmen and their employers and thousands of dollars worth of free gifts and souvenirs will be awarded those attending the Show. "will probably rise slowly." Widespread small layoffs and reduced production schedules have resulted in a slight increase in joblessness in the first three months of 1957. The usual spring upturn in economic activity has failed to materialize, the report says and "there is no exception of significant expansion in the coming "Hot Cargo" Clause Upheld by U.S. Court of Appeals WASHINGTON The right of union truck drivers to refuse to handle non-union or struck freight was upheld tjy the U. S. court of appeals in an opinion handed down Thursday. The "hot cargo" clause in teamster contracts with employers does not violate the secondary boycott ban of the Taft-Hartley acj, the court ruled in setting aside in selling aside a' finding of the national Labor Relations Board in a case Involving an Oklahoma City local of the Teamsters. Complied With Contract Speaking for the court, Judge Walter M. Bastian pointed out that under the terms of union contracts employees were not required to handle goods from struck firms and that refusal to do so does not constitute a strike or refusal to work. "Nor. can it be said," the judge continued, "that there was a forcing or requiring of an employer to cease doing business with another person because the employer was only compelled to live up to its own voluntary agreement entered into in advance of the happening. "It would seem that the Teamsters employed the only effective means in their power to enforce the agreement." The case involving the Teamsters grew out of a strike by a local of the International Association of Machinists, like the Teamsters an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. The machinists called a strike at the American Iron & Machine Works company in September, 1954. The strike laster a little over a month, beginning with a new collective bargaining agreement. Picketed by Machinists In the course of the strike the machinists picketed three plants of the company. They also picketed trucks of American Iron when they appeared at the loading platforms of certain trucking firms. The teamsters' local instructed the, trucking firms' platform workers not to handle American Iron goods since they were struck goods. A majority of the NLRB directed both the machinists and teamsters to cease inducing or encouraging employees of the carriers, to engage in a strike or con certed refusal to handle freight consigned to or received from American Iron. Again dividing 2-1, the court upheld the board's finding against the machinists. Bastian said that since the machinists were not parties to the contract carrying the "hot cargo" clause, they were barred from the three to six months." The current lull has resulted, the publication says, from a decline in home building, a halt in accumulation of business stocks of goods on hand, a tapering off of business expenditures for new plant and equipment and continuing poor markets for the sale of autos, television sets and other hard goods and textiles. actions which the NLRB prohibited.The machinists contended that, since teamsters were free to honor their picket line, the machinists' actions would not constitute encouragement or inducement of teamsters to engage in a concerted refusal to handle goods of another employer. No Sympathy Strike In the ease before the court, Bastian said, "It cannot be argued that the actions of teamsters constituted a sympathy strike or an illegal boycott." 'The actions taken might have been so regarded had there been no hot cargo clause," Bastian added. "In sympathy strikes or illegal boycotts ,the employers are innocent victims of disputes with which they are not concerned. But where such a clause exists a different situation arises. The secondary employer has consented, known in advance, to the refusal of its employes to handle goods of the original employer." Cooper Resigns Local 873 Post William H. Cooper has resigned as president of Bakery Drivers. Milk Drivers. Dairy and Ice Cream Employees, Local 873. In a letter this week to Secretary - Treasurer James M. Cousins, Mr. Cooper explained that he had been promoted to a position with the Continental Baking. Co., which excludes him from membership in the union. His term does not expire until Dec. 31. The vacancy will be filled in a special election Tuesday night at the regular monthly meeting of the local. Mr. Cousins said he had a number of tickets available for members wishing to attend the Union Industries Show next week in Kansas City. Although the show it free tickets are required for admission. OFFICE EMPLOYES WIN Local 9 of tho Office Employes International Union, Milwaukee, has won bargaining rights at the Blue Cross-Blue Shield service in a Wisconsin Employment Relations Board election. The vote was 120 to 87.